New US customs tariffs on imported goods have taken effect today amid President Donald Trump's efforts to reshape his trade agenda after the Supreme Court rejected a wide range of global tariffs he had imposed. These new tariffs, ordered by an executive decree on Friday, aim to replace the current arbitrary tariffs, as well as those stipulated in various trade agreements signed with the United States' main trading partners. However, these tariffs do not replace the so-called sectoral tariffs ranging from 10% to 50% on several industries, such as copper, automobiles, and timber, which were unaffected by the Supreme Court's ruling. They also do not apply to Canadian and Mexican products imported into the United States under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Customs officials announced that the collection of tariffs invalidated by the Supreme Court will cease as of Monday at midnight Washington time (05:00 GMT Tuesday), the effective date of the new additional levy. They also confirmed they will begin collecting the new 10% tariffs immediately. For this new rate, the US President based his decision on a 1974 law that allows him to rebalance trade between the United States and its economic partners upon proof of a significant imbalance in the balance of payments. These tariffs are expected to reduce the average effective tariff rate on goods entering the United States to 13.7%, down from 16% before the Supreme Court's ruling, according to Yale University's Budget Lab. After 150 days, the government will need a vote from Congress if it wants to keep these tariffs in place indefinitely. On Saturday, Donald Trump announced his intention to raise the tariffs to 15%, justifying his decision by saying it is based on a 'comprehensive review' of the Supreme Court's ruling, which he again described as 'ridiculous' and 'completely contrary to American values'. However, Trump has not yet issued an executive order on this matter.
